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Introduction
Sat 6 May-Sun 21 May 2006
Caretaker's Cottage
Shoreditch Town Hall
380 Old Street
London EC1V 9LN
The Marxist Magicians are a calamitously cack-handed and argumentative
fictional bunch of revolutionary conjurors. the Keystone Cops of communism.
Their aim is to bring about the overthrow of capitalism through embarrassment.
Hired by companies as corporate entertainers for press conferences where
losses are announced—on the understanding that a supposedly ‘straight’
performance will distract journalists from bad news—they foul up
their tricks on purpose. The resulting opprobrium, they hope, will cause
the target company to collapse. And they believe that if they can do the
same for all companies then faith in the entire capitalist system will
collapse, precipitating a communist revolution. The magicians are however
alcoholics, and divert virtually all their booking fees into feeding their
habit. As a result they are trapped perpetuating the very system they
aim to bring down (see their blackboard and the ‘Twelve Steps to
Communism’ poster in the exhibition for more).
This show finds the Magicians changing tack. They have decided to assault
capitalism not as usual from above, but from below. Their aim is to shoot,
edit and duplicate a DVD film version of The Communist Manifesto which
will then be sold to the proletariat pirate video-style from sports bags
on the streets of London.
This collegiate effort at proletarian agitation soon descends into showbiz
arguments over billing and attempts to use the DVD to gain bookings in
cushy Mediterranean venues during summer season.
Throughout the show the figure of Karl Marx appears in conversation with
the Magicians. Is it really him, is he in a time warp, are they in a time
warp, or is it all just a case of their drunken minds recasting his words
to suit their needs?
The show has something to say about the possibilities of political change
emanating, thanks to new technology, from the grass roots level. It also
has something to say about how this exciting possibility is nevertheless
subject to the old recurring elephants of power and authority, diversion
and avarice, violence and corruption (indeed, viewers may find echoes
of recent events in the conversations and objects on display).
A group of people start out with a vision; that vision becomes twisted
into something quite different (and possibly harmful to those both outside
and in); they and their leaders nevertheless maintain the illusion that
the original vision still stands. This is not solely the preserve of politics,
or even of the magic trick. It happens in all our lives. It is the central
point of this show.
Click here
for Simon's website.
Measure and Simon Morse wish to thank Sheila and Jerry at Shoreditch
Town Hall, all at Amazing Space, Hackney Archives, everyone who helped
and all those who came to see the show. You know who you are Comrades...
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